The Least Common Denominator

Interlude VI: Emerald

Emerald was just a young girl when she had first heard about the Fraction System.

The concept of Numerators and Denominators never really stood out for the young girl, the information surrounding the topic whizzing over her head when her parents tried to teach her about it. And while she learned that Numerators were like the best heroes of the Empire, Denominators were apparently the worst people to ever grace the Empire.

Some family members talked about rumors regarding the 'Dirt Eaters' as they called it. They were the scum of the earth, they said, and that they were too selfish and lazy that they allowed their previous Emperor and war hero to die due to not making his armor and weapons as strong as they should've been. As a child, she never paid too much attention to these things; content in living a modest life learning how to read and write in preparation for taking over the family business.

Unfortunately, on the day of her sixteenth birthday,